News Analysis: Prolonged crisis in Ukraine deepens over political turmoil

KIEV, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian parliament on Thursday rejected the resignation of Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk, a decision hailed by experts.

But that move has not closed the chapter of political turmoil in the country. A solution to Ukraine's crisis seems remote given the growing controversies among political factions.

ESCALATING VIOLENCE

In the past few weeks, the east of Ukraine has experienced especially brutal violence, particularly in Donetsk region, where a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane with 298 on board was allegedly downed by a missile.

Heavy fighting between government troops and armed insurgents has spread to new areas in the region, setting houses in flames and causing more deaths.

Increasing casualties and major damage to civil infrastructure were also reported in the neighboring Lugansk region.

Dozens of civilians have been killed in the two restive regions as a result of shelling and clashes between the Ukrainian military and armed insurgents, with both sides reportedly using heavy weapons in civilian areas.

According to a recent report of the United Nations, as of July 26 at least 1,129 people have been killed and 3,442 others wounded in eastern Ukraine since mid-April.

However, despite the bloody standoff in the east, some Ukrainian politicians appear not to have given up their electoral politics in anticipation of possible early parliamentary elections.

The members of the ruling "European Choice" coalition, which used to be a close alliance, are now trading barbs, accusing each other of making populist decisions instead of working to calm down the crisis.

POLITICAL CONTROVERSIES

Ukraine's ruling coalition broke up on July 24, after two of the biggest parties, the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reforms and the nationalist Svoboda party, announced their departure from the coalition.

Yatsenyuk, who tendered his resignation to the parliament shortly after the move, said the collapse of the coalition left the government without enough votes to pass laws needed for the normal functioning of the country at a crucial moment of standoff with rebels in the east.

He accused former coalition allies of attempting to trade harmful policies for political dividends.

In response, the political forces that withdrew from the coalition blamed Yatsenyuk for alleged cowardice and unwillingness to take political responsibility for the country.

On Thursday, the parliament rejected Yatsenyuk's resignation, and the move was welcomed by local experts, who said that the decision will allow the government to carry on its duties of full capacity until early parliamentary elections.

However, analysts here still believe that the decision of the parliament will not put an end to political controversy in Ukraine, which poses a serious threat to the country's development.

"The break-up of the ruling majority is a severe blow to the fragile Ukrainian state mechanism," said Victor Nebozhenko, director of the sociological service Ukrainian Barometer.

Another political expert, Alexandr Strelchenko, said that the dissolution of the coalition and Yatsenyuk's resignation signal that the crisis in Ukraine may deepen as no political forces want to take responsibility for the country, which teeters on the brink of collapse.

"Today, Ukraine is on the verge of catastrophe: heavy fighting continues in the east, killing people. In addition, utilities and food costs surged, the level of people's well-being decreasing each day. So, I think, developments in the Ukrainian political landscape is nothing else, but escape from responsibility," Strelchenko said.

PRESSURE OF EARLY ELECTIONS

Experts here believe that the political controversies in Ukraine will continue to aggravate with the approach of possible early parliamentary elections.

"We got an imbalance in politics that provokes a domino effect. I believe we will see the brutal and merciless fight of former political allies during the election campaign," said Andrey Zolotarev, an analyst at the Kiev-based analytical center.

Experts explained that the break-up of the coalition has set the stage for early parliamentary elections and actual switch of power in the parliamentary-presidential republic.

According to Ukrainian law, if no new coalition is formed until Aug. 24, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko will obtain the right to dissolve parliament and call new elections.

Analysts here have no doubt that the parliament will be dissolved in August as there are few chances to form a new coalition.

"Establishment of a new coalition consisting of various parliamentary forces is theoretically possible, but, in my opinion, this is highly unlikely. Even if that happens, it will lead to discontent among voters, who will block the work of parliament," said Vladimir Fesenko, director of the Penta Center of Applied Political Studies.